The Last Protector
by AliuIce0814
Summary: Sirius goes to Godric's Hollow on October 31, 1981. What he sees there will change him forever. Read and Review, please! **COMPLETE, SEQUEL IN WORKS**
1. Chapter 1

Hi! I wrote this story a couple of years ago and I just now found it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, etc. you know the deal.

**The Last Protector, by Ice**

Godric's Hollow, 1981

Padfoot's stomach turned over as the acrid, unmistakable scent of smoke reached him. It urged him on, a nasty voice in his head saying, _You're too late now…_Then he saw the smoke.

He screeched to a halt as he reached the house. A pair of glasses, mangled and broken, lay on the path in front of him. Their owner lay nearby, spread-eagled and obviously dead. His messy black hair was covered with the ashes of his burning cottage.

A howl of misery rose in Padfoot's throat. _Not Prongs…_

To Padfoot, it was all his fault. _I told them to make Wormtail their Secret-Keeper; I'm the one who deserves to be dead…_

Padfoot bounded over to his old friend's body, his paws scraping against the splintered rubble that covered the ground. Padfoot nudged James' arm, half-expecting him to wake up and grin, to tell Padfoot that it was all a joke, all a horribly bad prank…

A small whimper brought Padfoot out of his mourning. He followed the sound to the center of the rubble, where Harry Potter's nursery had once been. Lily Potter lay there, her face still wet with tears, one arm still cradling Harry.

_She must have died defending him, _Padfoot thought sadly.

But Harry wasn't dead. He lay there whimpering, with a slash of a scar on his forehead and obviously alive.

Padfoot sat still for a moment, slowing realizing what Harry was saying…

"Ma, Ma, MA!"

Padfoot gave a low, soft whine of hurt, then bounded over to his godson and nudged him gently. Harry turned his head and looked at Padfoot with brilliant, tear-filled green eyes.

"Pafoo?"

Padfoot hesitated, then turned back into Sirius. He wouldn't be much use as a dog.

"Pafoo?"

"I'm here, Harry." Sirius picked Harry up, brushing dirt, tears and ashes off of Harry's face.

For a moment the reality of the situation overwhelmed Sirius. Just before he lost himself in misery, he said firmly to himself, _It doesn't matter right now. Harry needs me._

Sirius looked at the rubble, then held Harry tighter. _Even if the Ministry thinks that I was the Potter's Secret-Keeper, I'll be able to make everything right. I have to, for Harry's sake._

Sirius spoke softly to Harry, who was already drifting off to sleep, comforted by his final protector's presence:

"It'll be okay. I swear, no matter what happens, I'll do anything to make it okay."

Read It. Review It.

-Icey


	2. Chapter 2

Icey's Note: Revised 6.26.2010

(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Brothers, or any other people like that.

So, here's the next chapter!)

Sirius stood up abruptly, although he was careful not to wake Harry up. Someone was approaching.

"Hagrid," Sirius muttered. No doubt Dumbledore had sent him to get Harry.

Sirius stood there for a moment, indecisive; then, laying Harry down gently by his motorbike, Sirius pulled out a scrap of parchment and a pen and scribbled a note.

_Hagrid,_

_I've taken Harry with me to London. I'll take care of him, don't worry. Tell Dumbledore and Remus that there's more to the story and that I'm turning myself and Peter in to Mad-Eye. With all luck, only one of us will walk free again._

_Sirius_

_P.S. Please make sure that James and Lily have a proper funeral._

Sirius dropped the note in plain sight. Then, lifting the sleeping Harry off of the ground as gently as he could, he climbed onto his motorbike and roared off into the night.

Hagrid picked the note off the ground, squinting through the ash and his own tears to read it.

_Hagrid,_

_I've taken Harry with me to London. I'll take care of him, don't worry. Tell Dumbledore and Remus that there's more to the story and that I'm turning myself and Peter in to Mad-Eye. With all luck, only one of us will walk free again._

_Sirius_

_P.S. Please make sure that James and Lily have a proper funeral._

Hagrid mopped up his tears the best he could as he hurried back to Dumbledore (using the pink umbrella to speed up the Muggle taxi). He couldn't keep the horrible thought out of his head, though:

_What's goin' to happen ter Harry now?_

Sirius and Harry landed in a small park in London. They spent the night on a park bench with no shelter from the cold and wet.

Light was streaking the horizon when Sirius heard the sound he had been waiting for all night: a muffled squeak near his leg. He looked down and saw a small, brown, and horribly familiar-looking rat.

"Well, hello, Peter, my old _friend,"_ Sirius growled. He pointed his wand at the rat and whispered, "_Pertificus Totalus_!"

Wormtail's eyes were terrified; he had lost the ability to move.

"Yeah, you little rat, you're lucky you're not dead right now!" snarled Sirius. "You would be if I didn't have to stay out of jail for Harry's sake."

The rat's eyes, which were already huge with fright, got even bigger.

Harry woke up and started to whimper from hunger and cold.

"Hey, little guy, it's okay. We're going to go someplace warm now, and there'll be food, too," Sirius said soothingly to Harry. "Believe me, you aren't the only hungry one around here, Quidditch player!"

Harry smiled a small, watery smile. "Qui'tch, Pafoo?" he said hopefully, holding up his arms for a spin in the air.

"Not right now, little guy. We've got something important to do first," Sirius said, swinging one leg over his motorbike as he tucked Harry under one arm and held Wormtail in a death grip with the other hand.

(Sorry it's so short. I'm going to update every two weeks- My other story, PotterCat Warz, one week, then this story the next. See you in two weeks!

-Ice

P.S. Please read and review!)


	3. Chapter 3

Icey's Note: Revised 6.26.2010

(Ice: Hey, guys! Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.)

The Auror Mad-Eye Moody sighed when a tawny owl fluttered into his office. It had been one heck of a day already: the Potters were dead, Voldemort had disappeared, crazed Death Eaters were running amuck all over the countryside, and on top of it all, no one could find little Harry Potter.

Mad-Eye groaned when he saw the Hogwarts seal on the envelope the owl had dropped on his desk. "What _now_, Dumbledore?" he grumbled as he slit open the letter, raising his eyes heavenward as if asking for divine intervention.

_Alastor,_

_News form Hagrid- Sirius is going to turn himself _and_ Pettigrew in. He's got Harry. You know what is at stake- _avoid involving Barty Crouch at all costs. _I have a hunch- and my hunches usually turn out to be right, if I do say so myself- that there is more to the Potter's Secret-Keeper than meets the eye-he may not have been the Secret-Keeper towards the end. _

_Avoid using force at all costs, and above all, _keep Harry safe._ This is of the utmost importance._

_Albus_

"Albus, why in the name of Merlin's size five slim extra tight denim jeans is this my job?" growled Mad-Eye, his magical eye swiveling towards the figure who had just entered the room.

"I trust you and only you to do it well, Alastor," Dumbledore replied mildly as he ducked through the doorway of Alastor Moody's office. "Too much is at stake to let some amateur down in Magical Law Enforcement, or worse, Barty Crouch himself, handle it."

"What exactly do you mean by," Mad-Eye glanced down at the letter, "'himself _and _Pettigrew'?"

"Exactly what I said, my dear Alastor," Dumbledore said simply, settling himself in a chair across the desk from Mad-Eye and examining a nearby Dark Detector with interest. "Ah, I see you have a new Sneakoscope. State-of-the-art 1981 version, I believe?"

Moody grunted an affirmative, then growled, "Why Pettigrew too, though? It makes no sense." 

Dumbledore smiled faintly as he toyed with Alastor's Foe-Glass. "I believe it will make more sense if you read the last ten words of the first paragraph in my letter to you."

Dumbledore watched, still wearing a faint smile, as Mad-Eye mouthed the words _he may not have been the Secret-Keeper towards the end._

Mad-Eye's non-magical eye widened. He slowly put the letter down on his impeccably neat desk and looked up at Dumbledore.

"You think they switched Secret-Keepers?"

"My dear Mad-Eye, I have no doubt in my mind that they did." Dumbledore said quietly.

"Why? Why switch their most trusted friend and protector with someone who, well, always was a bit of a wimp? It makes no sense," sighed Mad-Eye, running a hand though his snarled, graying hair.

"Alastor, it made every bit of sense to the Potters because _they understood Voldemort's mind_," Dumbledore said, leaning across the desk towards Mad-Eye, his hands folded and his eyes intense. "They knew that Voldemort would expect them to have their greatest fighter as Secret-Keeper! They knew that every day Voldemort was drawing closer and closer to where Sirius lived. But James would never risk his best friend and sworn brother's life if he could help it, especially not for himself! So Sirius suggested that Peter Pettigrew could be the Potters' Secret-Keeper. It was the perfect ruse: no one would expect that the person who hero-worshipped James, who was always the tag-along on their adventures, would be the most important player in keeping the Chosen One alive."

"If it was the perfect ruse," Mad-Eye said slowly, "why are the Potters' dead? And how do you know all this?"

"Well, you see, Alastor, it wasn't the perfect ruse," Dumbledore said, a sad smile on his face. "None of them knew what I know now: Peter Pettigrew was already a double agent, spying on the Order, and bringing all the information back to Voldemort. He's the reason the Death Eaters managed to kill the Prewetts, the Bones- scores of Order members died because Peter Pettigrew was the double-agent-and because I was too blind to see what he was up to," Dumbledore said bitterly.

"I bet he was right happy to be named the Potters' Secret-Keeper, that little worm," growled Mad-Eye.

The pair sat in silence for a while, contemplating the day's news and pain. After several minutes, Dumbledore got up and pulled on his traveling cloak.

"Well, I must be off, Alastor," Dumbledore said, taking off his hat momentarily to the Auror. "I am needed at the school, and you, I believe, will be have three very criminal visitors in a few moments," he added with a small smile.

Alastor called Albus back a moment before the older professor swept out of the room.

"Wait a moment, Dumbledore," Mad-Eye said, curious, "You haven't told me who _your _spy is yet, the one who gave you so much information about Pettigrew."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he headed for the door once more.

"That, my friend," he called as he made to shut the door, "is a tale for another day."

(End! Of that chapter.

Sorry guys, no Sirius today but I promise he'll be back soon!

-Icey)

p.s. I'm leaving my original notes in parentheses. It's a little taste of what my writing used to look like. Yuck!


	4. Chapter 4

Icey's Note: Revised 6.26.2010

(Ice: Hey, guys! Here's the next chapter. Just a warning- Sirius calls Peter a "bastard" in this chapter. That's it, though.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.)

Sirius leaned his motorbike up against the side of the broken phone booth and stepped inside. He made sure to keep a protective arm around his small godson, Harry Potter, who was fast asleep, and a tight grip on the turncoat Animagus, Peter Pettigrew, as he dialed 6-2-4-4-2.

A cool female voice echoed through the graffiti-covered phone booth. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic," it said. "Please state your name and business."

Sirius hesitated. He wasn't entirely sure if this booth actually reported visitors to Ministry officials or if it just made badges and forgot all about the visitors. Then he shrugged.

_I might as well use my real name, _he thought to himself. _I'm about to be arrested anyway._

"Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Harry Potter," he said quickly, tightening his grip on Wormtail, who was beginning to struggle. "We're here to get arrested!"

Sirius tried no to laugh when the change slot spat out three badges. The top one read:

**Sirius Black**

**Suspect**

The cool female voice echoed through the phone booth again:

"Thank you. Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes. Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

Sirius gave a bark of laughter. "Yeah, right," he laughed. "As if I'm going to do that when the entire country is out to get me!"

The phone booth shuddered and began to move. Sirius looked up sadly at his motorbike as it slid out of sight.

"Bye, bye, bike!" Harry said, waving his hand bye-bye.

"Hey, Harry. I didn't know you were awake!" Sirius said to Harry, grinning at him.

"Pafoo!" Harry giggled, wrapping his small arms around Sirius.

Suddenly, Wormtail started struggling in Sirius' hand.

"Oh, no, you don't," Sirius growled, tightening his grip around the Animagus even more. "I'm going to put you down for a moment, okay, Harry?"

"O-tay, Pafoo!" Harry said cheerfully as Sirius gently set him down on the floor of the lift.

"Here we go," Sirius muttered as he turned into Padfoot. He quickly snatched up Wormtail in his jaws.

Harry cried, "Pafoo doggy!" and clambered clumsily onto Padfoot's back.

The door of the lift slid open, and the unlikely trio slipped of toward Mad-Eye Moody's office.

* * *

Alastor Moody paced his office floor.

"Where are you, Sirius?" he muttered impatiently as he turned to pace in the other direction. His head snapped up as he heard claws scratching at the door.

_What the-? What kind of idiot would let their dog…_

Mad-Eye's thoughts trailed off as he used his magical eye to look more closely at the dog that was sitting outside the door.

With a grunt, Mad-Eye Moody opened the door and let a dog, a rat, and a human child into his office.

He turned to face the dog, who was currently holding the rat in its mouth with a vice-like grip.

"Hello, Sirius," Mad-Eye said to the dog.

* * *

"Hello, Sirius," Peter Pettigrew heard from somewhere over his head.

Peter—actually, technically he was "Wormtail" at the moment, since he was in his Animagus form—twisted and squeaked in his captor's grip.

"And Peter, too," Mad-Eye's voice continued. Wormtail felt a huge human hand pull him none too gently out of the dog's fierce grip.

_Oh, great. I'm dead meat. No more Peter Pettigrew after this, _Wormtail thought fretfully as he thrashed around struggling to free himself.

_

* * *

What's going on? _one-year old Harry Potter wondered. _What's Pafoo doing? Where's Mama? _

As soon as he thought of Mama, Harry started crying. He wasn't sure what had happened to his Mama. All he remembered was a flash of green light and a high, cold voice. He was pretty sure, though—as sure as a one-year-old boy could be—that his Mama wasn't coming back, not ever.

"Ma!" Harry whimpered, gripping Pafoo's fur more tightly. "Mama! Ma!"

Instantly Pafoo became what Harry thought of as "normal Pafoo"—a human with dark hair and grey eyes.

"It's okay, Harry," Pafoo said softly as he brushed Harry's unruly black hair out of his brilliant green eyes. 'Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

"Mama," Harry whispered as he snuggled closer to Pafoo.

The other man in the room spoke up.

"So, Black, why exactly are you turning yourself in? What do you want out of this?"

* * *

Sirius Black raised his eyebrows at Mad-Eye Moody.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, glancing down at Harry, who was snuggled in his embrace. "I want the bastard who betrayed the Potters to—well, actually, I would be quite happy if you would let me do the honors of killing him," Sirius growled, glaring at the quivering rat that was caught in Mad-Eye's tight grip, "—but if you don't let me, then he at least should be sent to Azkaban."

Mad-Eye raised his eyebrows. "You didn't betray the Potters? I was under the impression that you were their Secret-Keeper."

Sirius' eyes flashed, and for a moment, Mad-Eye's grip on his wand tightened. "I would never have betrayed the Potters," Sirius said, his voice choked with emotion. 'I would have died before I would have betrayed my best friend. It's my fault that the Potters are dead," Sirius said shakily, "I won't deny that, but I wasn't the one who betrayed them, I swear."

Mad-Eye Moody looked at Sirius with his normal eye (he was keeping the other eye on Wormtail). Comprehension dawned in his grizzled face.

"You switched places?" he inquired.

Sirius nodded.

"Well, I suppose there's only one way to be sure you're telling the truth, Black," Mad-Eye said lightly.

"Veritaserum?" Sirius asked grimly.

Mad-Eye inclined his head slightly. "Yes, but not for you…" he said, glaring down at the shaking rat in his hand.

* * *

Mad-Eye Moody pulled open a drawer in his desk and dug around in it for a few moments.

_Sneakoscopes, broken quills, half-empty ink bottles…I really need to clean out this desk, _Mad-Eye thought impatiently. _How can I be so organized normally, yet my desk is a disaster area?_

Mad-Eye muttered a few swear words. "Damn Snape," he growled. "I used the last of my Veritaserum when I questioned him last week."

Mad-Eye noted how Sirius' eyes narrowed with dislike when he heard Snape's name mentioned. _Huh, _Mad-Eye thought with some amusement, _apparently I'm not the only one who loathes Snape._

"I'll have to borrow some from Ted Tonks," Mad-Eye mumbled to himself as he sat down to write a note.

_Tonks-_

_I need more Veritaserum. I am about to question a very important suspect in the Potter case and I just ran out of the stuff._

_Bring it soon—and __**quietly**__, Tonks. Avoid Barty like the plague._

_-Moody_

"That should do it," Mad-Eye growled as he folded the note and sent it on its way.

* * *

Eight-year-old Nymphadora Tonks was bored.

_Why in the name of Merlin's shortest micro miniskirt did Dad have to take me here for "Bring your daughter to work" day? I mean, most kids think the Aurors' office is interesting, but noooo…nobody to talk to, nobody to play with…all I'm allowed to do is sit here and be quiet. I mean, Dad should know by now that it's _impossible _for me to sit still and be quiet!_

Suddenly, a note flew into the room.

"Look, Dad, a flying note just entered your office!" Nymphadora shrieked as she fell backwards out of her chair.

Ted Tonks sighed and looked up at the ceiling, where the note was flying in circles around his head like some bizarre halo.

"It's from Mad-Eye!" he announced as reached up, caught it, and slit it open.

"Mad-Eye? Really? Mad-Eye Moody? Do we get to see him, Dad? Do we? Do we? Do we?" Nymphadora inquired, picking herself up off the floor and doing a sort of jig around her father's desk.

Ted Tonks had stiffened slightly as he read the note. He looked up slowly at his daughter and said quietly, "No, Dora, I don't think you should come with me."

"Why not?" Nymphadora cried impatiently. "I can come! I can handle it! It'll be a lot more interesting that staring at the inside of your cubicle all day! Please, Daddy?"

Ted Tonks sighed as he looked at his daughter with sad eyes. "No, Dora, you can't come. It's about the Potter case."

Nymphadora looked at her father, her blue eyes full of impatience and anger. "Come on, Dad. This Potter case-you've been talking about it at home with Mum, I know you have! Every time I walk into the room you get all quiet! You won't tell me anything about it! At this rate all my friends will know about the Potter case and I won't! You talk about murder cases all the time at home, Dada. Why can't you talk about this one?"

Ted Tonks sighed again. "This case-is different," he murmured finally. "It involves a little boy and his parents."

Nymphadora felt momentarily puzzled. _A little boy and his- Oh._ Her eyes grew wide.

"You mean-those Potters?" she asked quietly. "You mean, Harry Potter, the little boy who defeated Voldemort?"

Ted Tonks nodded slowly.

"Daddy," Nymphadora said softly, "I know you want to protect me from the world. I know you still see me as your little princess. But inside, I'm not anymore. I can handle these things. I want to be and Auror, like you, someday, and if I don't start looking at this stuff know, I'll never be brave enough to. I'm coming with you whether you like it our not," she announced primly, snatching up the note from Mad-Eye.

"What did Mad-Eye need? Ver-it-a-serum?" Nymphadora inquired, sounding out the unfamiliar word. "Well, show me what that is, Daddy. I need to know this stuff."

Nymphadora's dad quickly pulled out a bottle of Veritaserum and explained its properties as they headed for Mad-Eye's office. Nymphadora tried to memorize everything her dad told her.

_If I want to help Harry Potter, then I'll have to learn all of this boring stuff! _she thought to herself as the approached Mad-Eye's office door…

* * *

Please review!

-Icey

(HUZZAH! ANOTHER CHAPTER REVISED! It's like pulling teeth over here, I swear.)


	5. Chapter 5

Revised 6.26.2010

(Disclaimer:Same as before.)

Nymphadora Tonks squealed with excitement when she saw the sign that read:

**ALASTOR MOODY**

**AUROR**

"We're here, Daddy! Can I go inside? You said I could! I'm going in first!" she yelled as she hurtled toward the door.

There was a moment, just one moment, where Ted thought, _Oh, no, not again. She's going to—!_

BANG! SMASH! CRASH!

"Ouch."

Nymphadora winced as she rolled over and sprung to her feet. "That door got in my way," she pouted, glaring at the aforementioned door.

Ted Tonks sighed and rolled his eyes. "At least you didn't break anything this time," he groaned.

"Hey! That crystal shop incident was _so _not my fault!" Nymphadora protested. "That vase was really old. I bet they didn't need it anymore," she lied, wincing again.

Her father sighed again. "Will you please just go inside Mad-Eye's office?" he moaned, though he was trying not to laugh.

"Bleah!" Nymphadora stuck her pretty pink tongue out at her dad, then pulled opened the door and hurtled inside Mad-Eye Moody's office.

* * *

Sirius jumped when he heard a squeal and a crash outside Mad-Eye's door. There was a moment of silence; then a young girl with brown hair and a rather insane expression on her face hurtled inside the office.

The girl stopped dead; she seemed shocked at the sight of Sirius. Sirius felt just as surprised.

"Tonks?" he asked in surprise.

"SIRIUS!" the girl yelled, and flung her arms around his neck.

Mad-Eye snorted. "At least my door is sound-proof," he growled, though he looked amused at the sight of the hyper Metamorphmagus and the dazed Animagus.

"Tonks, what are you doing here?" Sirius asked his favorite cousin's daughter as she relinquished her grip on him.

Tonks grinned, her hair turning a vibrant shade of pink. "It's 'Bring your daughter to work day'! Daddy brought me to work, and now we're bringing Mad-Eye Veritaserum!" she laughed as she did an mad little jig around Sirius.

Sirius gave a bark of laughter. Tonks could always brighten his day.

* * *

Harry looked with interest at the strange new person who had seemingly fallen into the room.

_Why's her hair pink? That's a funny color for hair._

"Pafoo! Wook! Pin hawr!" Harry said from his perch in Pafoo's arms as he pointed at the girl's hair.

Pafoo glanced at the girl's hair and laughed his funny laugh that always made Harry giggle. "Yeah, you're right, Harry. Tonks' hair is pink."

Pafoo lowered Harry to the ground. Harry stood up; he was using Pafoo's arm as a support. Harry wobbled on his feet, then toddled over to the girl-Tonks-who was crouched down and had a curious look on her face.

"Hi, Tonkth!" Harry smiled, waving his hand "hello".

"Hi, Harry!" Tonks said brightly. "How old are you?" she asked, cocking her head at him.

Harry frowned for a moment, then, remembering, held up one chubby finger.

"Wow, you're one? That's really cool! I-"

"Sorry to interrupt," Ted Tonks interrupted, "but aren't we here for a reason?"

He held up the tiny bottle of Veritaserum.

"Ah. Thank you, Tonks," Mad-Eye growled as he leaned forward and took the bottle from Ted Tonks. "This is exactly what I need." He eyed the rat that lay Stunned on his desk; he had taken that precaution while little Nymphadora Tonks had been greeting Harry Potter.

"Now, Black," Moody muttered, "we'll see this rat spill all his secrets, and you just might walk free."

* * *

(Sorry this chapter is so short. I want to leave the whole Peter-Veritaserum-trial-shebang until after the Nutcracker: Life gets kind of hectic this time of year.

Speaking of the Nutcracker: if you live anywhere near Evansville, Indiana, check out the Evansville Dance Theatre's The Nutcracker. This year there are guest artists from the Saint Louis Ballet. There are two performances on Saturday, December 15. It's at the Victory and both performances include live music courtesy of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. Please check it out!

Please review!

-Icey)

I'm tearing through chapters like _Harry Potter_ books!


	6. Chapter 6

Revised 6.26.2010

(Author's note: I am sorry! Don't kill me! I said that Nutcracker messed things up! Although, I must say, I did not expect my job to get in the way of things as much as it did…Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!)

* * *

Peter Pettigrew blinked blearily as the world slowly came back into view.

"Argh…bright…lights…mmm," Peter grumbled. He squinted up at the people who were surrounding him, then gave a squeak of terror and attempted to dive underneath the bulky wooden desk that he had been leaning up against not a minute before.

"Oh, no, you don't, you little rat," a chillingly familiar voice growled as a great callused hand grabbed Peter roughly by the shoulder and shoved him onto the aforementioned desk.

"S-Sirius?" Peter stammered as his former best friend's visage appeared in Peter's line of vision. "W-what are you g-g-going to do to me?"

"_He's_ not going to do anything to you," another voice answered as Sirius gave a growl reminiscent of Padfoot. "_I'm _just going to interrogate you."

Peter gulped. "I-interrogate-Death Eater-me?" he stuttered as the Auror Mad-Eye Moody loomed over him.

"Yes, you," Mad-Eye growled. Peter flinched and averted his gaze as he realized that both of the Auror's eyes, normal and magical, were glaring at him.

"I-I don't know what you mean!" Peter peeped, his voice high-pitched with terror. "Me-a Death Eater-how-how preposterous-I mean-"

Peter fell silent as a low, menacing growl filled the room. Everyone turned to see a huge black mutt bearing down on Peter. Its hackles were raised and it was snarling and snapping as it drew closer and closer to Peter.

"Sirius!" Mad-Eye snapped as the dog got closer and closer to Peter. "Don't touch him! I have a job to do here!"

Peter watched in frozen, silent horror as the dog neared him. A small girl with brown hair whom he had not noticed before cried, "Sirius! Stop it! You're going to scare Harry! Sirius!" as the big black dog got within a foot of Peter. Mad-Eye pulled out his wand.

Just as the dog was within six inches of Peter's nose and was about to snap, the sound of a baby wailing rose above the small girl's cries. The dog halted, whirled around, and bounded over to the source of the new noise. Peter sighed in relief-but only for a moment, as Mad-Eye turned his wand on Peter.

"Now, Pettigrew," Mad-Eye growled, "you'll spill all your secrets."

* * *

Tonks gave a small cry of relief as Sirius stopped his advance on the one dude-_Peter, _Tonks remembered, _his name is Peter Pettigrew and he's been arrested for something to do with the Potters-_and went to comfort Harry, who was crying for his mummy again. _I never want to be on the Dark Side, _Tonks decided. _I don't want to have to run away from Sirius. _

Tonks tuned back in to the grown-ups' conversation just as Mad-Eye Strangepants growled to Wormtail Ratface, "Now, Pettigrew, you'll spill all your secrets."

"Oooh, the drama increases!" Tonks said in a stage whisper. Almost all the adults in the room whirled around and stared at Tonks. Mad-Eye was glaring at the eight-year-old witch with his normal eye, Sirius had one eyebrow raised, and Tonks' daddy looked as though he was begging some unknown god to show some mercy. Peter da Pettigrew, on the other hand, was paying Tonks no mind; he instead appeared to be praying the rosary.

_Yeah, you little weirdo, you'd better pray, _Tonks thought. _God might have mercy on your sins, but with Moody on your case you're doomed._

Sirius' eyebrow went up even more, Tonks' daddy rolled his eyes, and Mad-Eye (his) Moodiness snorted and said,

"Why, thank you, Nymphadora. That's the best compliment I've had in three weeks."

"Crap," Tonks groaned. "Tell me I didn't say that out loud."

"Y-you did," Peter 'Pettiness' squeaked from his spot on Mad-Eye's desk.

Tonks snorted.

"If you think that you just earned yourself some brownie points, you totally did not," she grumbled.

'Siriusly' Sirius gave a bark of laughter.

"You know what, Dora?" Ted 'Daddy Dearest' Tonks groaned as he rubbed his eyes. "You really aren't helping anything. Run down to the canteen and find something to eat. If Sirius lets you, you can take Harry," he added at Tonks' pleading gaze, "but _be good_."

"Oooh, Sirius, can I take Harry with me? Can I? Can I? Can I?" Tonks whined as she stared imploringly at Sirius. "I'll be perfect! I won't feed Harry any junk food, you're my favorite cousin, oh please, Sirius…"

"Oh, get out of here," Sirius growled teasingly as he handed her Harry and some money for the snack vendor. "Just don't blow up the building."

Teddy Bear Tonks groaned again and rubbed his temples as though the conversation was giving him a headache. "Don't give her any ideas."

Sirius laughed.

"By the way, Mr. Moody," Tonks panted as she shoved the door open and pushed Harry through it, "never call me Nymphadora."

* * *

"By the way, Mr. Moody, never call me Nymphadora," Ted's daughter called to Mad-Eye as she made her rather exasperating exit.

Mad-Eye snorted and turned back to Pettigrew. "Let's get this over with, gentlemen," Mad-Eye growled as he pulled out the Veritaserum.

Pettigrew gave a squeak of fright and tried to pull away as Mad-Eye tipped the clear liquid into the suspect's mouth. Luckily, Ted Tonks had jumped forward at the last moment and shot ropes out of his wand, which bound Pettigrew to the desk.

"Thank you, Tonks," Mad-Eye growled as he poured the last few drops of Veritaserum down Pettigrew's throat.

For a moment, it seemed that nothing had changed. Then Pettigrew swallowed. His gaze became glazed.

"Ah," Mad-Eye growled in satisfaction. "Tonks, could you write this all down?"

Mad-Eye waited for a moment while Ted found a quill and paper. As soon as he was sure that Ted was ready, Mad-Eye bent over Pettigrew and asked,

"Are you Peter Pettigrew?"

Pettigrew's eyelids fluttered. "Yes," he uttered in a monotone voice.

"Are you a Death Eater?" Mad-Eye Moody queried.

"Yes."

"Did you betray Lily and James Potter?" Mad-Eye inquired. He supposed that this could be considered 'rushing it', but he honestly didn't care. He could worry about the details later. For now he needed to finish up this interview before Crouch was drawn in. _Once Crouch is involved, _Mad-Eye thought, _things are going to become very messy indeed. _

"Yes," Pettigrew answered in that same monotone voice. At this point, Sirius started and made a gesture in the air that made Mad-Eye growl, "Sirius, don't get yourself into any more trouble. You're _this_ close to being under a restraining order as it is."

"Was anyone else helping you in your job for Voldemort?" Mad-Eye questioned Pettigrew.

Peter replied, "Yes."

Mad-Eye's pulse quickened. "Who?" he growled in surprise.

"Severus Snape," Pettigrew answered just as the door to Mad-Eye's office opened and a cold, disapproving voice said, "Ah. Moody. You decided to have an interrogation session without my approval, did you?"

* * *

(Reviews, please!

-Icey)

Revisions make me do my happy dance! *does the Nymphadora jig all the way around her cave* HUZZAH!


	7. Chapter 7

Revised 6.26.2010

* * *

The first thought that entered Sirius' mind when he heard Bartemius Crouch's voice was a cuss word. Then the Animagus' thoughts turned to Harry.

_At least the Mini-Prongs isn't in here right now, _Sirius thought with some relief. _Things are about to get extremely messy._

* * *

Ted Tonks nearly groaned out loud when he heard his boss say, "Ah. Moody. You decided to have an interrogation session without me, did you?" _This is not good, _Ted thought to himself. _At least Dora isn't in here. She has an odd habit of making things worse._

"Tonks, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to get to work on the Death Eater sightings down in York!" Crouch snapped at the Auror.

"Jones decided to handle it, seeing as I brought my daughter to work today," Ted answered. He immediately cursed himself for dragging Dora into the whole thrice-damned situation. _Please don't notice that I mentioned Dora-_

"Hmm. I was not under the impression that your daughter was invisible, Tonks," Crouch growled while he caught Ted with one of his most piercing stares.

"She's not," Ted said shortly. "She's at the snack vendor with her friend." _Well, _Tonks thought to himself, _at least I'm telling the truth…_

How very wrong he was.

* * *

Tonks groaned as she heaved Harry onto the next landing.

"Harry, do you know where we are?" she asked the baby desperately.

Harry grinned at her.

"Where are we, then?"

Harry looked around confusedly and shrugged his tiny shoulders.

Tonks groaned again. "Argh! I knew I should have taken the lift! Still," she said thoughtfully, "these stairs do look interesting-as though no one ever uses them!"

Harry peered around again, and, as though he had decided that he was going to be stuck in one place for a while, plopped down on the ground and began to suck his thumb.

"Oh, you're really helpful, Harry," Tonks grumbled at the baby. Harry looked up at her with wide emerald eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Harry," Tonks sighed as she, too, sat down on the dark, dusty landing. "I just hate being so help-OH!"

Tonks had just caught a glimpse of light, as though a door several floors above had opened and shut.

"THE LIGHT!" Tonks screamed dramatically. She hopped to her feet and began to dance around in circles. Harry, who had never encountered a manic eight-year-old girl before that day, stared at Tonks with his brilliant green eyes and then began to laugh. He giggled even harder when Tonks accidentally ran into the wall and fell over.

"Oh, shut up, you," Tonks grumbled good-naturedly as she pulled herself off of the floor. "Let's go!" With that, she scooped Harry up (with some difficulty) and headed up the stairs.

* * *

Mad-Eye was not a happy camper, to say the least. He had worked hard to keep this interrogation quiet, but somehow his _bloody idjit _of a boss had heard about it.

_Dammit, why can't he just let me interrogate this Death Eater in peace? Once Crouch gets his hands on Pettigrew, there won't be a trial like there should be! He's ruining the image of all the Magical Law Enforcement Officers!_

"Well, this is a perfect picture for a few arrests, don't you think?" Crouch said silkily. "An unauthorized interrogation conducted by two maverick Aurors and a Death Eater sounds like all I need-"

"Oh, is that what I am?" Moody growled. "A maverick? I don't know about your dictionary, Crouch, but the last time I checked, you were the maverick Auror. I didn't know that throwing Death Eaters into Azkaban without a trial was-what's the word? Ah, that's it-_legal_."

Crouch's eyes bulged slightly. Mad-Eye thought, _Let him be angry! He deserves to be-_

Mad-Eye's hand jumped to his wand reflexively as Crouch drew his own wand.

_What the-_

"PROTEGO!"

* * *

(All right, that's where this chapter ends. Hopefully I didn't make too many mistakes this chapter. I sincerely hope that I don't offend anyone with my characterization of Crouch(did anyone guess that I, to use an oft-used phrase "hate his guts"?). Anyway, that's the chapter. Please review!

-Icey)

Apparently, when I initially wrote this chapter, I didn't know how to make dividers. For anyone who's curious, the divider button is in the document editor on FFN near the **bold, **_italics, _and other goodies.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey, gang. You're probably ready to tear my head off and eat it for breakfast after such a long hiatus. However, in my defense, I've been having some personal problems over the past year or so. My own survival does take precedence to the story, since, without my survival, this story is no more.

In any case, I'm very glad to be back. This is perhaps the third to the last chapter in this tale. Thank you for reading.

Now, without further ado…

Remus Lupin was in, as Sirius had once put it, "one of _those _moods".

Remus wasn't entirely sure how it was possible to be miserable, annoyed, and bored out of your effing mind all at the same time, but that was exactly how he felt.

_Not that I should feel any different, I suppose,_ he though gloomily to himself. _It's my best friends' funeral day, and here I am, stuck in line at the Werewolf Registry. _

Lupin barely suppressed the urge to punch through the nearest wall. It hadn't been horrible enough, apparently, for the Potters to be murdered—_oh, no, _Remus thought, _the powers that be must think that would be too simple. They had to be betrayed by the one person who we all thought could be trusted! I was a fool to think that Sirius could ever be loyal. Even if he didn't come from a family as dark as his name, it's my lot in life to be let down by anyone I get close to._

"Lupin, Remus!"  
Remus shuffled up to the front desk as the secretary called his name. The man behind the counter didn't even glance up at him. "Name?"

_Funny, I thought they just said it. _"Lupin, Remus."  
The man handed over a form. "At least it remembered to put its last name first. I still don't understand why they just don't give 'em numbers, Flo," he added in an undertone to one of the other workers.

"Don't you worry, dearie," the woman replied as Remus set to work on his papers. "I'm sure they'll be organized once the new legislation is passed.

_When the new legislation is passed, _Remus thought dryly, _they'll probably want to know when, where, and how I last relieved myself, on top of all the other useless tidbits they have me record. _He scanned the list of fill-in-the-blanks:

**WEREWOLF REGISTRY**

**Dept. of Magical Creatures, Ministry of Magic**

**Monthly Registration Form**

**NOTE: Please fill out all pertinent information and return within twenty minutes. Failure to do so will result in overnight detention at the Department of Magical Creatures and referral to the Department Head. Resistance will lead to referral to the Committee of Dangerous Creatures and possible detainment in Azkaban Prison.**

**Name:**

**DOB:**

**Age:  
DOBi (Date of Bite):  
MS#: - - -**

**Current Address:  
Current Employment:  
Detailed List of Meals Within Past 48 Hours:**

**People In Close Contact With During Past 48 Hours:**

Remus sighed and checked off the list. _Technically, DOB and Age are the same thing, and I don't see why they need to know my Magical Security Number. No wonder so many of us werewolves experience identity theft. _He paused over Current Employment. James and Sirius' voices rose, unbidden, in his mind.

_"They actually ask what you do for work?"  
_

_"Tell them you're an official teacher's pet!"  
_

_"Nah, Padfoot, that's too tame. Official hippogriff-wrangler!"  
_

_"Hinkypunk tamer!"  
_

_"Grindylow hunter!"  
_

_"No, no, Prongs, I've got it! Certified Author of the Marauders' Map, partner-in-crime of Messers. Padfoot and Prongs!"_

_"And me!" _

Remus choked back bile at the memory of Peter's indignant squeak. _Damn you, Sirius! If you had just had a sliver of pity in that meager excuse of a heart, you could have left me with one friend. _Peter had never been as close as the other two, but he had still been there, a constant presence with Remus in the backseat of James and Sirius' crazy show.

"The Potter boy—"

"Harry!"

Remus ignored the whispers the best he could. Part of him wished that he could be the one to take care of Harry now that his parents were gone, but a larger part understood entirely why he couldn't. The boy needed someone whole to take care of him, someone who would be there for him constantly, not a half-starved werewolf.

At first when Remus heard the high-pitched voice calling him, he was positive it was just one side effect of the Potters' deaths. Then he felt a pair of small, chubby arms close around his pant leg.

"Unca Moon!"  
Remus's breath caught in his throat. He slowly lowered his head and stared at the minute person who was clinging to him. "Unca Moon!" the little boy repeated. His merry green eyes sparkled up at the man.

Remus slid out of the chair and onto his knees. "Harry," he whispered hoarsely. Harry smiled and reached up to his "uncle". Remus scooped him up and held him close.

"Hey, put him down!" the secretary cried. Remus paid him no mind as he fought back tears.

"Harry, how on earth did you get here?" he asked.

"Harry! Harry! Where are you? I can't have lost you already!"

* * *

"Harry!" Nymphadora Tonks yelped. "Harry! Where are you?"  
The eight-year-old had kept her promise to stay out of trouble for all of two seconds. The world was too big and interesting by far for the two children to head directly to the canteen. Tonks had tripped, some important documents that needed to be turned in to the Minister yesterday had been covered in an intern's latte, and somewhere in all the confusion Harry had made a bid for freedom.

Dora felt horrible about the whole thing. Well, not the intern's-coffee-being-spilled part; the Harry-crawling-off-to-Morgana-knows-where part. Dora had screamed and yelled and walked for ages, but somehow the little kid hadn't reappeared. Tonks was beginning to wonder whether the boy might be related to a Muggle escape artist of the same first name.

"I can't have lost you already!" Tonks cried. "Sirius will roast me over an open fire and eat me for breakfast!"

That's when she saw the man with the light brown hair. He wasn't very old, for a grown-up, but his eyes looked tired. He was, Tonks thought, awfully close to crying for someone over twice her age, and he was holding tight to—

"Harry I-don't-know-your-middle-name Potter! What do you think you're doing?" Tonks scolded. "I sound like my mother! See what you've driven me to?"

The man smiled down at her. "His middle name is 'James'," he said quietly, "and sounding like your mother isn't always a bad thing."

"Hunh," Tonks sniffed. "Well, it has to be a bad thing if you're under the age of ancient, and I'm positive it's a terrible thing if you're a guy."

The man chuckled and was about to answer when an angry voice demanded, "What on earth is going on here?"

Dora decided right away that she didn't like the man behind the counter. _He looks like he has a quill shoved up…somewhere uncomfortable. Who died and made him king of the office? _"I'm talking to my friend."

The beefy man gave her a scathing look. "That _thing_ is your friend?"

Dora snapped at the word "thing". "He's not a thing! He's a person! Leave him alone!"

The man snorted. A woman who was sitting next to him said in the gentle voice grown-ups always used when they thought kids didn't have enough brains to fill an eggcup, "Sweetie, he's a werewolf."

Tonks shoved away the uncomfortable prickle of fear and surprise at this revelation and concentrated on how sad and worn the man Harry trusted had looked. "I know that," she lied. "So what?"

The man peered at her. "You're Tonks' girl."

The woman frowned. "The Auror?"

"No, the garbage collector!" Tonks snapped sarcastically. "Of course the Auror! How many 'Tonks' are there around here? My daddy sent me up here to find Mister…Lupin and bring him back to Auror Moody's office." _I'm so going to the fiery chasm from church for lying all the time. _

"Why do they need it?"

"Him! You psychos, him! My daddy needs Mr. Lupin to come to his office because Mr. Lupin's best friend was wrongly accused of betraying his friends when really his other friend betrayed their friends!"

"Say what?"

Tonks sighed. "It's not that difficult to understand! Everybody thought Sirius Black betrayed Mr. and Mrs. Potter and that's why they're dead, but really Peter Pettigrew is the bad guy! They're all in Mad-Eye Moody's office talking about it _right now!"_

Mr. Lupin stiffened beside her. Dora shuffled closer. The man behind the counter was glaring at the other man suspiciously. _They're so stupid! I hate how mean they are to him! _Out of the corner of her eye, Dora noticed her hair turning a fiery shade of red.

As the other people gasped, Dora took her chance for escape. She whirled around and, clutching at Mr. Lupin's hand with her own, dragged him to the lift.

"Grown-ups," she grumbled as she, Mr. Lupin, and Harry slid into the lift. "Why do they act like their brains were replaced with goo? I still don't get why they were so mean to you."

* * *

"I still don't get why they were so mean to you," the small girl said to Remus. She was still clinging tightly to his hand.

Remus sighed. "It's…they have a right to be, I suppose. I am a lycanthrope, after all."

"A ly-what?"

Remus smiled as the girl wrinkled her nose. "A lycanthrope. It's a fancy way of saying that I'm a werewolf."

"Oh." The girl considered this for a moment. "Well, I guess we're all freaks around here. I'm a Metamorphmagus," she added as Remus frowned. "See?" She wrinkled her nose again, and her ginger hair became a vivid shade of pink.

"Pink hawr!" Harry yelped. The girl giggled.

"He's really smart. I swear, he's a little escape artist. Someday he's going to break out of prison."

Remus raised an eyebrow at her. "I certainly hope he'll never be in prison."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Mr. Lupin, sir, he's my cousin Sirius's godson. What do you expect?"

"There's no arguing with that sort of logic, I suppose," Remus laughed. "Please, don't call me 'Mr. Lupin'. It makes me feel even older than I am. My name's Remus."

"My name's Nymphadora Tonks, but don't you dare call me 'Nymphadora!' Just call me Tonks."

"What about 'Dora'?"

Dora screwed up her face in thought. "I suppose it's all right," she said doubtfully. "I still think Tonks sounds better."

"Well, you'll have to remind me then, Dora. Old people like me have trouble remembering certain things."

Dora's eyes flashed indignantly. "You are not old!" When Remus laughed, she stomped her foot. "You aren't! My daddy's old, Mr. Moody's old, and Professor Dumbledore belongs in an ancient history museum, but you are not old!"

Harry giggled as Dora's hair turned red again in frustration. Remus smiled and ruffled her hair. "All right, all right. I'm _older_."

"Not that much older," Dora muttered. She reached up and snagged Remus's hand again as the lift doors opened. "Come on!"

Remus let himself be dragged down the hallway of the Auror's offices. Tonks would occasionally bounce off doorways and cubicles with a mumbled "ow" or a yelp of "Sorry!"

_If she's right about Sirius being innocent and Peter…_Remus shook his head. _That can't be right. Sirius was Lily and James's Secret-Keeper. He's the traitor. He's the reason they're dead. Isn't he?  
_

"We're here!" Remus's small friend cried. Dora dropped her voice to a stage whisper. "Be very quiet. I wasn't supposed to go anywhere but the canteen, so _shh!"  
_

The door blasted open. It smashed headfirst into Dora, who stumbled backward with a yelp of pain. Remus scooped her up in his free arm and turned to see the strangest sight:

Sirius was standing over an unconscious Peter with a wand to his throat. An Auror Remus faintly recognized as Dora's father had Barty Crouch in handcuffs, and Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic were standing nearby discussing Muggle cricket matches. Mad-Eye Moody had his wand out and pointed at the door.

"Lupin. I wondered who was going to join this party next."

Dumbledore's electric blue eyes twinkled. Sirius's head shot up. He stared straight at Remus. The grey eyes flashed anger, pain, and then regret. Remus caught the silent message: _I didn't do it. I'm sorry._

_It's all right, Padfoot. I just need to work a few things out._

"What happened?"

Sirius glanced over at Dumbledore, who was unwrapping a lemon drop. Mad-Eye leaned against the wall as Crouch mouthed silent oaths against him. Remus slid into the nearest chair and groaned.

The Minister saw all this and smiled. "Well," Millicent Bagnold said, "I suppose we all have some explaining to do."

* * *

Love? Hate? Still in denial over the _Harry Potter_ book series' ending? Fine by me! Click the *Review* button and write me a note. All flames are used to keep my fingers warm. It's horribly cold in this basement.

Love y'all, and glad to be back in one piece,

Icey.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: *runs up to JKR* I am not worthy! I am not worthy! *bows*

* * *

"Some explaining?" Sirius growled incredulously. "Some explaining? At this rate, we'll all be stuck in this office for a week!"

Mad-Eye rolled both eyes. "For once I agree with you, Black."

When Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, Sirius felt a real growl bubbling up in his throat. _Why is he always so jovial? _"Relax, Sirius." Dumbledore smiled at his former pupil. "We have time. If I am right in saying so, the Minister has kindly agreed to escort the prisoners to temporary detainment."

"You are correct, as usual!" Millicent Bagnold beamed at the man who had once taught _her _and held out a hand. "May I have a lemon drop, Professor? Thank you!" She popped the sweet in her mouth, waved, and shoved Pettigrew and Crouch out the door. "I am sure you are more than capable of handling this crowd."

As the door swung shut, Sirius blinked in confusion. _Did—did the Minister just flirt with Dumbledore? Of all the things I never wanted—Can I go gouge my eyes out now?_

"Sirius?" The Animagus jumped and shook himself. Professor Dumbledore now had a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "Perhaps I should begin…"

* * *

Remus had never seen Dumbledore look so troubled as he did next. Dumbledore stood and strode to the window. "I must confess…" The elder man's voice shook slightly, as did Remus. _When even strong men crumble—what's made him act like this? _Dora edged towards Remus nervously.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and began again. "I must confess," he said, "that I have not been entirely honest with any of you for quite some time."

"How long?" Dora's shaky call seemed automatic, as did her father's eye-roll. Dumbledore half-smiled.

"A very long time, I am afraid, Nymphadora." When Dora wrinkled her nose, Remus laid a warning hand on her back. "You see, I could defend myself by saying that I was afraid. It would the truth, from a certain point of view; I was terribly afraid of making a wrong move in the awful chess match that is war.

"That is really only a half-truth. I suppose you could say that I held my tongue in certain matters because of my pervading belief in the innate goodness of people."

"What?" Dora's nose was wrinkled again, and her hair was slowly flashing between pink and orange. Remus smiled in spite of himself at her bemused expression.

"I think what Professor Dumbledore is saying is that he thought Peter might not betray Lily and James after all, so he reserved judgment."

"Very well put, Remus." Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I hesitated in favor of what good there was left in…certain people. In Peter's case," the blue eyes seemed to blaze, "I was lethally wrong. However, in the case of Severus Snape—"

"What about him?" Remus threw a sharp glance at Sirius, but his old friend wasn't listening. The grey eyes had hardened; the arms around Harry had tightened; Sirius looked, in Remus's view, half-mad already. "What does Snivellous have to do with Harry?"

* * *

Nymphadora Tonks was confused. No, scratch that. She was utterly bewildered.

First, some old lady had _flirted _(sick!) with an even older guy. Then, Old Guy (oh, yeah, Professor Dumbledore!) had said a bunch of confusing words all in a row. Now…

_What the heck is a Snivellous?  
_

"Remus!" Dora tugged on Remus's sleeve. When that tactic failed, she climbed right up on his lap and shook him. "Remus! What's a Snivellous?"

Sirius got an even scarier look on his face. "It's a dirty, greasy, cowardly—"

"Sirius!" Remus was glaring at Sirius. Remus's amber eyes, Dora noticed, softened when he turned back to her. "Snivellous is Sirius'—_nickname—_for someone we went to school with."

"Scum!"

"Sirius! Behave." Remus jerked his head in Dora's direction. Dora tried not to roll her eyes. _As if I haven't heard it all from Dad already! _"I'm sorry, Professor. Continue."

Dumbledore's awesome x-ray eyes were twinkling again. "It's all right. It takes many years to overcome hard feelings. However, one must _try," _he added with a swift glance at Sirius. Sirius ducked his head guiltily, and Dora tried (unsuccessfully) not to punch the air. _Take that!_

"As I was saying, in the case of Severus Snape, I erred correctly." When Mad-Eye tried to interrupt, Dumbles continued, "Before the end of the war, Severus turned spy for us at great personal risk. Do not look so skeptical, Sirius!" The x-ray eyes flashed, and for a second, Dora imagined her cousin was burnt to a crisp by the stern gaze. Dumbledore's gaze softened again when Harry reached a chubby hand up toward him. "People will sacrifice much when those they love are in danger," he finished.

"Aw, even old people think babies are adorable!" Dora sighed and leaned her head on Remus's shoulder. "I am allowed to call Dumbledore old, right?"  
Remus got a funny look on his face, like he was trying not to smile. "Maybe. Shh. Ask me questions later, all right?"

"Humph." Dora noticed Dumbledore watching and gulped. "Um…continue, sir?"

Dumbledore winked. "Thank you, Miss Tonks. Severus informed me, soon after he became a spy for the Order, that Voldemort—" Dora squeaked and dove behind Remus— "upon finding the Potters to be…a threat, secured a spy who was excrutiatingly close to the family. Voldemort found this spy to be willing, pusillanimous, and easily manipulated."

"Pettigrew." Sirius was rumbling again. "You knew, Dumbledore? You knew?"

"Alas." Dumbledore sighed and pretended to stare out the window at a fat old pigeon again. "I knew, but not in time. Severus turned spy just over a year ago. He informed me of Peter's treachery but a few days ago, and…I was sorely afraid to make the wrong move. Even an old man has his fears, Sirius. What if I had sprang, then? What if I had caught Peter and Severus had been lying all along? I was not ready to take the risk." Dora shivered. _Is Dumbles crying? _

After a long silence, Dumbledore turned back to Sirius—to everyone, really, but it seemed to Dora like he was staring right through her cousin.

* * *

"So, you see, Sirius, it is my fault that the Potters died. Their death was the folly of an old fool."

Sirius blinked. _What? _"Not…Dumbledore, _I _made them switch Secret-Keepers!"

Across the room, Remus shook his head. "Lily and James trusted Peter, Sirius. If they couldn't see what was happening, no one could."

"Well, we'll all take the blame at this rate!" _Heck! _Sirius started when Mad-Eye thumped his wooden foot on the floor for emphasis. The magical eye was quivering in its socket. "It's over. The Potters—" He cleared his throat. "Shouldn't you all be worrying about Harry?"

"Hawr!" Harry yelped his own name from Sirius' lap. Sirius face worked its way into a fierce grin. "Pafoo!"

"Hey, buddy. Yeah, we're talking about you."

"You're the CENTER of ATTENTION!" Tonks swung out her arms dramatically, overbalanced, and crashed to the carpet upside-down. "Isn't it great?"

Harry squinted at her in concern. "Um…"

_Thump! _Mad-Eye stomped again. "This is my office, for Merlin's sake, not Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters! Why don't the lot of you move your sorry selves somewhere else—say, the Department of Social Services?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Perhaps we _should _move to a more appropriate venue. Thank you, Alastor." As he ushered the rest of them out the door, Dumbledore winked at Sirius. "You seem a bit stunned, Mr. Black."

"Eh…" Sirius rubbed his head. "Stunned would be putting it mildly. Where are we going again?"

"TO NARNIA!" Ahead of them, Tonks toppled into Remus's legs. Sirius rubbed his head harder.

"What's a 'Narnia'?"

"_The Chronicles of Narnia, _my dear boy. It's a great Muggle children's series, an allegory about Christianity. I myself found it quite inspiring." Dumbledore winked again at Sirius's perplexed glare. "Lemon drop?"

"No thanks." Harry giggled. "Oh, shut it, kid." Sirius tickled the baby's stomach and swung him onto his shoulders. "Don't kick me while I'm down! Social Services…Social Services…why do these places never have maps?"

* * *

Further on, Tonks barreled into a desk and did a stunt-worthy back flip. "Follow the yellow brick road!"

Her father groaned. "Never again will I take you to work with me."

Dora pouted. "Don't you love me?"

Ted Tonks considered this. "Yes, sweetie pie," he relented, "but stress-related heart attacks don't sound amusing to me."

* * *

All right, people! I have no idea if this was any good, but at least my writer's block is finally over! This is the third-to-last chapter including the epilogue. I will continue to revise old chapters as I go. Thank you so much for reading. Please review, even if it's just one word!

Cheers,

The Amazingly Bouncy Icey


	10. Chapter 10

Review from Sparklespazz101: "Good chapter, especially Tonks' POV, but I'm a little disappointed you didn't update sooner."

I don't want you to be disappointed in me! Therefore, in order to prevent my own untimely demise at the hands of irate fanfiction reviewers, here is the next chapter.

* * *

To be frank, Dora was a bit disillusioned. The Magical Department of Child Protection and Social Services was no fun. She had expected plump, motherly witches and flying babies, but the only person sitting behind the scratched wooden desk was a bored stiff witch who made Sirius fill out about fifty gazillion papers. Harry expressed his feelings by blowing raspberries; the only thing that kept Dora from copying him was a rueful grin and a wink from Remus.

"Hang in there," he mouthed. Dora sighed and rubbed her nose. _How much longer will we be here? I'm so bored! _After a long, noiseless moment, she sidled up to Remus and leaned against his leg.

"If I have to stay in this room for one more minute, my head will fly straight off! I can't stand it!" Dora grabbed both of the ly-ly-_werewolf's _hands and tugged. "Remy, take me somewhere interesting!"

Remus's smile faded. "Nymphadora, I'm not sure your father…" Remus threw a worried glance at Ted. Dora frowned. _What…oh, you bloody idiot! _

"My daddy won't care. Would you, Daddy?" Ted Tonks jumped and shook himself. As her father shook his head violently and yawned, Dora barely managed to stifle a giggle.

"What wo—What won't I care about, sweetheart?" Ted rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Remy and I were just going to go to the canteen!"

Ted sighed. "All right. Get out of my hair, you little terror!" _Ack! _Dora squirmed away from her father's tickles and smashed into the wall. Immediately, Remus caught her around the waist and set her upright.

"Oh, Nymphadora?"

Dora froze just inside the doorway. Her daddy tapped his nose and winked. "Try not to bring back any strays this time, all right?"

Dora grinned. "Gotcha."

* * *

"Is that everything I have to sign?" Sirius rubbed his hand where it was cramping. The witch behind the desk—"Leandra Lovegood," her badge read—smiled and sighed.

"There's just one more thing, Mr. Black." _Oh, my…you have got to be kidding me! I'm to die of a paper cut at this rate! _Leandra flipped through her sheaf of parchment and pulled out one last form. "Since you are now Harry's legal guardian, he will need a replacement godparent in case anything were ever to happen to you."

Sirius heaved a sighed of relief and bounced Harry on his knee. "Well, that's easy. Moony, would you come sign—" He broke off as he noticed that the lycanthrope in question was missing. "Where is Moony?"

Behind him, Ted rubbed his nose guiltily. "I sent him to the canteen with Dora," he admitted. Sirius snorted and crossed his eyes at Harry.

"You do remember what happened the last time you sent Mini-Tonks to the canteen, right?"

Ted groaned. "Don't remind me. She can't have gotten far this time." He poked his head out the door. "Lupin! Sirius wants you."

A moment later, Tonks skidded through the door with Remus two steps behind her. Harry giggled into Sirius's chest. "Pink! Pink!"

Moony's eyes clouded. "What do need, Padfoot?"

"Want to be the Mini-Prongs's second godfather?"

Just as Sirius had expected, Moony's eyes snapped wide. _Why does he look so surprised? He was as close to James and Lily as I was! _Then, Sirius noticed that Remus was fingering his Visitor to the Ministry badge that read "Registered Werewolf." "Padfoot, I don't know if I can…"

"Don't worry." The witch behind the desk—_oh, yeah, _Sirius thought, _Leandra—_beamed at them. "The Werewolf Registry's reach doesn't extend into here. I wouldn't let them." Though her eyes remained dreamy, Sirius got the distinct impression that Leandra Lovegood was anything but careless.

Remus grinned shakily as he signed on the dotted line. "Sirius, I—thank you!"

_What are you thanking me for, Moon? Who else was I going to pick?_

_

* * *

_

Harry reached up one hand and patted Moony's arm. "Unca Moon!"

Remus ruffled Harry's black locks. "Hey, bud."

After a moment, Harry leaned against Remus. "Mah Unca Moon." Every emotion seemed to rush to the surface, and Remus suddenly had to fight back tears. _What I wouldn't give for your parents to be here, Harry!_

Next to Remus, Dora sighed spectacularly. "Aw! Even guys can't resist cute little babies!"

Remus shot her a quizzical look. "Don't you mean 'old guys'?"

"Humph!" Dora crossed her arms. Remus started when he noticed that the tips of her hair were turning red. "I told you before, Remus! You are not old!"

"Oh, that's right." Remus bounced Harry on his hip. "As I recall, your father and Mad-Eye are old, as is Professor Dumbledore, who belongs in an ancient history museum." Dora stuck out her tongue petulantly. "Her words, Professor Dumbledore, not mine," Remus added as he turned to the elder professor.

Rather, he added as he turned to where Professor Dumbledore was supposed to be. Remus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Where did he go?"

"NARNIA!"

"Hmm, I was thinking more along the lines of Imladris," Remus supposed. Behind the desk, Ms. Lovegood held up a packet of yellow sweets.

"He does seem to be a Gandalf type, doesn't he? The professor left you lemon drops, by the way." She smiled vaguely at Sirius's bemused glower. "Haven't you read _The Lord of the Rings?" _

"No, ma'am." Remus shook his head. "I never could convince him to finish _The Hobbit, _either, but he tore through Roald Dahl like Christmas presents."

Dora snorted. "That's still blasphemy. Are lemon drops any good?" After a split second of speculation, she shrugged her shouders and popped four of them in her mouth. "Izwealgoo', Rem! Ooo shoo try one!"

"No, thank you." _Especially not since you've eaten them all… _"It would be a bit like A.B.C. gum."

"I like A.B.C. gum!" Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius. "Why am I the only one who likes A.B.C. gum?"

Remus snorted. "Perhaps the dog's stomach dulls all your other senses," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry." Ms. Lovegood from behind the desk was neatly filing the papers away. "I'm afraid you'll all have to leave my office now. I need to go fetch my daughter from her sitter's, you see."

"Oh!" Everyone in the room hurried into the hallway and watched as Ms. Lovegood locked her office and headed down the hallway. Dora looked up at Remus hopefully.

"Remy, can we go to the canteen now?"

* * *

It was a simple question, Dora was sure, but suddenly Daddy Dearest was making excuses about how they needed to head to the green grocer's before they went home. Dora couldn't remember the last time her dad even thought about the green grocer's! If it were up to him, there would only be butterbeer, guacamole, and ice cream in the fridge.

Somewhere above Dora's head, Remus sighed. "I should probably go pay my rent," he admitted. Sirius made an agreeing sort of noise as Dad started pulling her away. Suddenly, her eyes were all watery. Dora stamped her foot at the stupid baby tears.

"Dora?" Someone knelt in front of her and caught her chin in his hand. "Dora, what's wrong?"

_I—I—_"I don't want you to leave!" Dora cried. "We were having s-so much fun! I don't want to go home yet!"

"It sounds like you have a few errands to run, though."

"No!" Dora sniffled as a gentle hand brushed a few tears away. "Remy, what if I never see you again? It's not fair!"

"Hang on!" Big Cuzzie Sirius scooped her up and messed her hair. "Tonks, Remus is my best mate! If you ever want to visit him, all you have to do is come over to my place. That way you can see him and me and Harry all at once." There was a whimper, and Sirius added: "Besides, Harry's exhausted. He needs his nap, kiddo. You wore him out!"

"Really? I can really visit?" Dora whirled on her dad. "Daddy, Daddy, can I visit Sirius and Remus and Harry? Can I visit them all the time?"

Her dad laughed. "Yes, Nymphadora, you can visit them all the time. It'll get you out of your mother's hair!"

"YES!" _Happy dance! Happy dance! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! _All the grown-ups chuckled as Dora did her Jig of Joy around them. "I'm going to visit every single day, including national holidays!"

Dad grinned. "We'll see, Dora. Say 'good-bye'. Harry looks really sleepy."

"Right!" Dora went on tiptoe and kissed Harry's cheek. "Night-night, little man! I'll see you tomorrow!"

Harry snuffled and waved slowly. "NiNi, Pink!"

_He's so cute! I want one! First, I'd have to get married… _Dora wrapped both arms around Sirius's legs and tugged. He barely staggered. "I'm still bigger than you, Tonks. Keep on growing!"

"Darn!" Dora stuck out her tongue. "Oh! Hang on, Remus!"

Dora could tell Remus was bracing himself as she backed all the way down the hallway. She took off at a run, leaped, and wrapped arms and legs around Remus, who slammed into the nearest wall. "Remy, I'll miss you. You have to visit Sirius all the time, promise?"

Remy laughed and squeezed her tight. "All right, I promise. All the time."

* * *

Sirius shook his head as he watched his little cousin drag her father down the hallway. In his godfather's arms, Harry Potter had finally fallen asleep. Sirius took the opportunity to slug Moony in the arm.

"Ow! Sirius!"

"My cousin loves you!"

Remus flushed and shook his head vehemently. "How could she? She's what, eight?"

"She's convinced _you're _not old!"

"Oh." Moony considered this as Sirius snickered. "Well, then, that explains _everything."_

"Remy!" A familiar high-pitched voice was squealing from down the hallway. Tonks was waving from the lift. Faintly, both men could hear Tonks call: _"This was the best day of my entire life!"_

Sirius considered this. He was exhausted. His friends were dead, betrayed by another friend; he had almost been arrested; he was the sole guardian of a one-year-old boy. Best day? Not by a long shot.

Then he thought of Remus's understanding gaze, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes, Harry's laughter, and Tonks's antics. Peter was in prison. Voldemort was defeated thanks to the baby slumbering in Sirius's arms. As he looked at Harry's relaxed features, Sirius thought of sunny days free of Order meetings and obituaries, of Harry's first bike, first wand, first day at school, first kiss. It hurt beyond imagining that James and Lily wouldn't see all this.

Sirius would, though. Sirius would get to watch his godson grow up in the perfect family of misfits, and presently, as he and Remus Apparated home, that meant the world to him.

* * *

Horrible? Perhaps. This is another chapter written in one sitting without much proofreading. Please leave a review!

Only one chapter left! Can you believe it?

Cheers,

The Extremely Exhausted Icey.


	11. Epilogue

Here's the epilogue. If you'd all like, I'll write a bonus material chapter after this one.

Disclaimer: I own less at the end than I did at the beginning.

* * *

It was one of those warm autumn days that Americans might refer to as an Indian summer. Dappled sunlight was working its way through the glass ceiling of the train station as travelers hustled and bustled across the platform. Most ignored the saxophone player and homeless guitarist without comment, but even the most harried businessmen paused, perplexed, when they caught sight of a boy dragging a snowy owl, a trunk, what looked like a Newfoundland, and a man (his father, perhaps?) towards Platforms Nine and Ten.

If the businessmen had paused even longer, they might have had to hide their laughter as a curvy young woman with bubblegum-colored hair sprinted after the menagerie and somehow managed to face-plant on the concrete.

"Dora!"

The woman shook herself off and jumped to her feet as the man hurried over. "No, don't come back here, idiot! Get Harry on the platform! He'll be late!"

Together, the boy, the man, the woman (too young to be a mother…step-mother?), the dog, and the owl barreled toward the divider between Platforms Nine and Ten—and vanished.

The businessmen rubbed their eyes as a hand poked out of the _solid brick wall _and pulled the trunk through. "That's it," one of them mumbled. "No more Starbucks!"

* * *

Padfoot was barking with laughter as he crossed onto the platform. Some of the mothers shot him first disapproving, then stunned looks as he turned back into Sirius. "Did you see the looks on those Muggles' faces, Moony? Oh, that was classic!"

Moony rolled his eyes. He was busy dusting Tonks off. "This klutz was probably the one getting all their attention."

"Hey, I can't help that the ground loves my face!" Tonks smacked Moony's hands away. "It's the price I have to pay for being a Metamorphmagus."

"Who told you that? Mad-Eye?"

"Uncle Padfoot?"

Sirius let Harry tug him away from the other two. "What is it, buddy?"

Harry bit his lip. The green eyes glistened a little. "I'm…I don't want to leave you," he admitted.

_Harry, don't be so scared! _That was something that had taken some getting used to. For a child with James's name, Harry was an awful lot more like Lily. Perhaps it had something to do with Remus's influence—or Dumbledore's. "You'll be fine. You'll have a great time! Listen, I have something for you." Sirius shoved a hand in his pocket and pulled out a brown paper package. "Don't open it here—I don't want everyone seeing it."

"What is it?" Harry weighed the package in his hands.

"It's several things. First, there's a two-way mirror. I have the other half, so if you ever need to see me or talk to me for any reason, any time, all you have to do is say my name into the mirror. I'll be on the other side."

"Wow," Harry breathed. "What else?"

"Something of your father's." As Sirius had expected, Harry's eyes sparkled excitedly. _James should be giving him this, not me._ "It's James's old Invisibility Cloak."

"An Invisibility Cloak? What'll I do with it?" At first, Harry's eyes were wide and honest; then, a glint of mischief slipped in. _Well, he's a little bit like James._

Sirius winked. "Use your imagination. Now, there's two other things, but Remus has them because I didn't want you to rip them. One is…something to help you out when you're using the Cloak. The other is a note from Professor Dumbledore saying that you have his express permission to visit Moony in his office whenever you want. Is that cool?"

"Yeah," Harry whispered. "Love you." For a moment, Sirius lifted Harry off his feet and remembered that awful night ten years ago, smoke, ashes, and grief. Then the train whistle blew, startling them both.

* * *

"OI! WOULD YOU TWO HURRY? Harry, do you want to hitchhike to Hogwarts or something? Honestly!"

Dora wrinkled her nose. _Red. _A moment later, her hair was as ginger as the plump witch's a few meters away. Remus laughed and shook his head. "You're not really angry, _Nymphadora_."

"Now I am, _Remus John!_ What have we discussed about names?"

Remus grimaced. "You won't use my middle name if I won't use your proper name. Sorry, Dora."

"Idiot." She whacked him in the head and grinned. "How do your students put up with you? Aren't your classes called 'Torture 101' or something?"

"Evil, that's what you are! Oh," Remus laughed as Harry rammed into his side. "There you are!"

"Are you ready to go, Uncle Moony?"

"Just about…"

"OI!" _What do you think you're doing? _"C'mere, both of you!" Dora sprang and pulled Harry and Remus into headlocks. Then, slowly, they all overbalanced and toppled to the ground. "What do you think you're doing? You can't escape me!"

"That's what worries me, Tonks," Harry muttered. "Get off!"

Dora grinned and ruffled his messy raven hair. "You don't mean that, little man. Who's your best friend?"

"You. Unfortunately. Why do you think I want to go to school?"

Dora's smile faded a little. She shook her head. "I can't believe you're eleven. That makes _me _feel old, you know?" She ignored Remus's mutter of _join the club _and continued, "Here. It's a mobile phone I've charmed to work inside of Hogwarts. It has my number. Call me, okay? Tell me everything, and I mean everything. If you don't have a girlfriend by the end of the year, I'm finding you one!"

Harry's eyes widened with panic as he snatched the phone. "Yes, ma'am! Got it!" He saluted and jumped aboard the train.

_Cute little dude. _Dora laughed and turned to Remus. "Now, you, young man…" She leaned against his chest. He hesitated—_dammit, Remus! My parents know. It's fine!—_and then wrapped both arms around her. "I'll miss you."

"Me, too." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Try not to get into too much trouble, Dora. I can't rescue you!"

"Um, Remy, usually I end up rescuing you!"

"When? In your dreams?" Remy rubbed his thumb along her cheekbone. "Listen to Mad-Eye."

Dora sighed petulantly. "Oh, Remus! Do I _have _to?"

Remus shrugged and grinned. "Hey, I said _listen. _That doesn't necessarily connote _obey."  
_

The train whistled again. Remus jumped and dropped another kiss on Dora's forehead. "Be good!" he called as he jumped on the train.

"When am I ever?" Dora bellowed back. As the train started to move, she and Sirius sprinted alongside it. Every once in a while, she would trip, but Sirius always set her upright. "GET INTO LOADS OF TROUBLE!"

"SEND ME A HOGWARTS TOILET SEAT!"

"_LOOK FOR NARNIA IN ALL THE WARDROBES!"_

"_MAKE A VOODOO DOLL OF SNAPE!"_

_**"I LOVE YOU, REMUS! I LOVE YOU, HARRY! HAVE LOADS OF FUN!"**_

"_**DON'T FORGET TO GIVE HIM THE MAP, MOONY!"**_

"_**SEE YOU AT CHRISTMAS!"**_

After a few moments, Harry and Remus were just tiny blurs. Then the train was nothing but a speck in the distance, and finally all the steam dissipated. Sirius and Dora were left doubled-over and panting. If either one of them was wiping a stray tear away, the other pretended not to notice.

"They'll be all right," a warm voice said gently. It was the plump ginger witch. For the first time, Dora noticed the tearful little girl clinging to her mother's arm. The smaller ginger peered up at Dora curiously.

"Was—was that _Harry Potter?"_

* * *

It took a while, but Remus finally found a compartment for Harry and himself. Harry sank into the seat cushion and gazed inquisitively at the changing countryside. "Uncle Moony, is Defense Against the Dark Arts cool?"

"Are Aurors cool?"

"Like the Tonks's? Yeah." Harry thought about it for a moment. "I won't be able to call you 'Uncle Moony' at school, will I. It'll be odd calling you 'Professor Lupin'."

Remus shrugged thoughtfully. "Well, that's only in class, Harry. Outside of class, you may call me whatever you want…well, almost."

"Hmm." Harry's eyes were beginning to sparkle impishly. _Oh, no, J—Harry! What are you planning this time? _"Do you really think I could find Narnia in one of the wardrobes at school?"

Remus considered this. "I wouldn't plan on it, Harry, but then again, stranger things have happened at Hogwarts. Don't worry," he added as Harry's smile faded. "You are a good man, Harry. You'll make plenty of friends. Your parents certainly did. Even I managed to! You don't have a single thing to worry about."

Harry grinned. "'Cept Quidditch, of course. I mean, Quidditch and grades," he added quickly at Remus's mock-stern look.

_Some things never change!_

The pair, uncle and nephew, jumped at the rap on the compartment door. A gangly boy with freckles that Remus immediately pegged as a Weasley smiled sheepishly. "Could I sit here? Everywhere else is full…"

"Sure! No problem." Remus had to hide an affectionate smile as Harry hurried to make room for Ron. _Maybe Sirius and I did something right, or is it just his parents' genes? _As the sun set and neat farms turned to tangled forests, the train rushed through the countryside. Remus dozed some, curse the waxing moon, but they reached the castle with only a few minor incidents involving the snowy owl and a future Slytherin.

It would be a year of trolls and giant chess sets, of three-headed canines and the near-return of the darkest wizard of all time. For now, though, Remus watched Harry be sorted into Gryffindor from his place by McGonagall at the teachers' table.

Remus was the proudest he'd been his entire life.

Harry was safe. Sirius was content. Remus had a girlfriend who would become his fiancée, then wife.

Dora? Dora was a still a klutz, but she was a cheerful Auror klutz.

Life was good.

* * *

*bursts into tears* IT'S OVER! *sobs uncontrollably* My little baby's all grown up! *sniffles* Do you want a bonus material chapter?

Reviews=love! Love=happy! Happy=updates! Updates=sequel? We'll see!

Cheers!

Thanks for reading,

Icey.


	12. Special Bonus Material and Credits

SPECIAL BONUS MATERIAL

Part One

Today

Dear Diary,

Today, Harry Potter turned two years old. That means it's almost been a year since I met him and that I'm nine. Can you believe it? Maybe Remy is old. Maybe _I'm_ old!

Maybe I should stop thinking so much.

Anyway, Cuzzie and Remy threw a huge party for Harry. It was amazing. He got so many presents (fifty-five. I counted.), and do you know how many people were there? It was like a bunch of screaming, fighting, hyper sardines.

Well, I think we smelled better than sardines. I think. Anyway.

Harry was so excited to see me! He's such a cute little man. Even though I see him almost every day (yep, including national holidays!), he always acts so surprised to see me. He can say his own name better now ("Harrah!") and doesn't lithp his eth-eth. I think he's got about fifty million teeth, too. At least he doesn't usually bite me. Mad-Eye's another story…

Then again, Mad-Eye's really creepy. I'd bite him, too, if he picked _me _up.

What was I talking about? Oh, yeah, Harry's party.

Like I said, everyone was there. The Minister, Ms. Bagnold, was there (she's wicked good at Seeking!), and _get this_: the Queen of England came. I'm not even joking! It was seriously the Muggle Queen! Mad-Eye thought she was Imperioused, but I heard her talking to Sirius. Nobody who's Imperioused can bet on horses like _that. _I got a photo of her to prove it. Mum was so jealous.

Harry got all kinds of crazy presents from people who didn't even know him. Some of it was poisoned, I'm pretty sure. Mad-Eye was furious, which would have been funny if his eye didn't keep following me around. He's such a stalker! How much can that eye see, anyway? Creepy!

Sirius got Harry a little leather biker jacket and a toy motorbike to go with his toy broomstick. Little Man kept running over people's feet with it, but that's just because he doesn't have the hang of it yet! I have a picture of that, too; Harry looks completely nuts in it. He is a little evil genius, after all. He figured out how to get past the child-proof charms on all the cupboards already.

Remy got Harry books (_The Chronicles of Narnia_! He's such an awesome uncle for Harry. He should get an award.), but he had to leave early. He called it a stomachache.

I checked the moon charts when I got home. Poor Remy. I wish there were potions or something for him to take! He still hung out with me even though he didn't feel too good. He sucks at three-a-side Quidditch, just saying, but he makes a great sports commentator. _Sirius, are you drunk? Minister, if that's your strategy, I have to wonder how any of your laws were passed. Dora, stop running into branches, you tree-hugger!_

Ah. Good times, those. Good times!

Poor Remy. I wonder, does he get lonely when he's a wolfie, or does he only think about…you know…ripping apart humans?

I have to think he gets lonely. Remy's too sweet to be a monster.

Anyway…it's pretty late, and I should go "Night-night," the way Harry said it when I helped him put on the bunny jammies I gave him. It's kind of hard to sleep, sometimes, when I think about Remy being out there, or about Sirius and Harry being all alone.

Today was awesome, though. Remy'll be fine. I'd better go to bed because I am exhaust…

* * *

Part Two

The Wedding

"Padfoot, why are all weddings in summer?"

Harry tugged uncomfortably at his bow tie. He honestly felt as though he were about to die of a combination of heat stroke, strangulation, and embarrassment. _I would ask whose bright idea it was to make me be Moony's best man if it weren't my idea!_

Uncle Padfoot, meanwhile, looked as cool as a cucumber. _With good reason! _Harry scowled at his uncle. "Why can't I have an Instant Cooling Charm?"

Padfoot's smirked devilishly. "I, dear godson, am not underage."

"You could put one on for me!" Harry threw up his hands in outrage. "In a month, when I'm seventeen—"

"You'll what, sputter at me?" Harry barely resisted the urge to use some vulgar sign language. He really wanted to avoid Tonks jinxing his fingers together.

Speaking of Tonks...

*space*

"Wotcher, Harry!" Dora tried to jump on top of her best friend and ended up knocking him into the wall. "Oh, sorry! How are you, little man?"

"Not so little!" Harry rubbed his head and hugged her. "I thought nobody was supposed to see the bride before the ceremony."

Dora snorted. "I think we've left tradition behind, honestly, what with all the werewolves and Metamorphmaguses and—"

"Extra security?" Sirius muttered. Dora winced as some of the blood drained out of Harry's face.

"Tonks, I told you not to worry about me!"

_Harry, you idiot! _"Oh, right, so I'm just supposed to let You-Know-Who come strolling in and kidnap my little buddy? Not bloody likely!"

"I just don't want to be a burden!"

"Harry James." Dora tensed, then relaxed as Remus slipped an arm around her. His amber eyes were stern, but they softened as they rested on his nephew. "You were never a burden. You will never be a burden. In order for you to carry out Dumbledore's task, you can't be distracted. Think of it as the Order's job to keep irksome Death Eaters out of the way. It is what we're trained to do, after all!" When Harry smiled reluctantly, Remus let go of Dora and linked arms with him. "Come on, best man. Let's not impede my wedding."

Dora smacked both of them as they headed for the inside of the church. "Yeah, Harry! Stop holding up my big day! Jeez." She flashed a quick grin at Sirius. "Don't look so tense, Paddy. Mad-Eye and Kingsley have it covered."

Sirius hesitated in the door for a moment. "Right." Then he slipped inside the church as wedding bells began to ring.

*space*

Remus listened to the homily. He honestly did. After all, it was he that requested a traditional Catholic wedding in honor of his latent faith. St. Mary's was a beautiful church filled with ornate statues; sunlight danced merrily through the stained-glass panes. The smell of incense brought memories of young childhood, innocence before the bite, thoughts of holiness and angels as the choir sang the "Gloria" and the crowd shifted restlessly in the wooden pews.

Something was off, though. Some part of Remus (_the wolf, _Remus reminded himself) was stirring anxiously at strange vibrations that seemed to course through the air. Remus shook himself slightly; now was not the time to think of such dark things, and yet…

He paid attention enough through the end of Mass, and by the time he and Dora got to the vows, he was completely enthralled in his almost-wife again. Remus remembered, from a catechism class ages ago, that the priest didn't marry the couple; the couple married each other through the vows. It was a completely non-magical ceremony for the sake of the Muggle side of Tonks's family, but in the instant before he and Dora kissed and sealed the covenant, Remus swore he felt a lurch of enchantment in the air.

Next to them, Harry whooped and wolf-whistled. Further down the line, Sirius was cheering, too, but there was something off in his steely gaze. Remus grimaced.

_What's gone wrong this time?_

*space*

"Remus. Remus!"

Panic was making Sirius's stomach swoop and swan-dive as he pushed his way through the crowd at the reception. _Why now? Oh, God, Harry can't know! C'mon, Moony! Pay attention. _

"REMUS!"

That caught Moony's interest. After a quick handshake with Ted Tonks, the lycanthrope slipped over to his best mate's side. "The wolf felt it during Mass. What is it?"

"Pettigrew." Every word was bitten, chewed, and thoroughly spat out. _Scum, liar, traitor! _"He's escaped from Azkaban again. Voldemort's on the move."

A light gasp from behind them was the only indication that Tonks was there. She slipped up beside her husband with one hand balanced on her wand. "How far away is he?"

Sirius snorted. "It's Voldemort, cuz. He can move faster than Snivellous confronted with clean underpants when he wants to."

"All the same," a deep, calm voice said from behind them, "I wouldn't worry yet." Kingsley Shacklebolt nodded once from his position at one window. "You can stay here safely for an hour at least; then we should move everyone. Relax, Tonks." He smiled slowly. "It is your wedding, after all. I think Dumbledore would want us to enjoy what happiness we have."

Sirius felt like cursing, but Remus was nodding, too, and Tonks looked convinced. "He'll be fine," Remus whispered as the two of them headed for the dance floor. "You can't protect him forever, Padfoot, not now that he's almost a man."

"I can bloody well try!" Sirius yelled after them. "I'm Harry's godfather, Remus! I'm his godfather!"

His voice was swallowed by the din of partiers.

*space*

Dora leaned against Remus. Somewhere above her head, he muttered, "Is it worth it, being married to an old man?"

The Metamorphmagus barely resisted the temptation to slug her husband. "Remus John, I told you when I was eight and I'll tell you again! YOU ARE NOT OLD!"

Peace comes in many forms. The new couple would take theirs while they could.

* * *

CREDITS

List of Reviewers! If your name is here, you get a ginormous (as Dora would say) hug and your character of choice to visit with. Number is number of reviews; no number is one review.

Vellouette (2), FranCheesecake (2), XxXpassionatemuseXxX, magicaltears (6), bswan (in Dora's words, MY CUZZIE!), BeautifullDisaster09, panther73110, mervoparkite, larabrambleofbywater (2), choirsinger, SBMFanatic, 3-left-turns, Sarchale, BethxxSandford (2), ZedPM (3), nectoreen, Ainulin, Boudicca's Revolt, Ellipsis the Great (read her fics. They're amazing), SIRIUSNATURE, Ravenclaw Rebel (my sweet personal stalker! 5), dark snake, Jessica, athenakitty, jennadancer, 5thmarauder, farwalker, Sparklespazz101 (4), Lindenmc (2), Duckyumbrella (2), ILikeComps

I love you all! You are amazing for your devotion for this wayward little fic that could. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope I'll see you around!

A sequel will appear once I pin down all my wandering thoughts and tie up some other fic's loose ends. See you then!

Cheers,

Icey.

p.s. Special hugs to my former ballet teacher, former Catholic Traditions teacher, mother, and grandmother, as I combined aspects of all their personalities (British-ness, humor, eyes, love of all things lemon, and _wisdom _from all four) to make "my" Dumbledore. Also, to my sister Star, whose command "don't get too bored while I'm gone!" made me finish this story: I LOVE YOU!


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